


Coroika Collection

by Vanta22exual



Category: Splatoon
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2019-10-17 13:04:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17560934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanta22exual/pseuds/Vanta22exual
Summary: Just a small collection of ficlets that I wanted to post, but didn't warrant their own post. Will update this periodically.





	1. Nightmare (Army/Skull)

Army found himself wandering his usual path, through the square, past Deca Tower and towards one of the many stages. Just a patrol, it was normal for him, although.... something felt off. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he paid it no mind as he suddenly found himself approaching the entrance to Moray Towers.   
  
This stage.... how often had he been here now? How much of his life revolved around this stage? At this point, he found himself naturally drawn to it, even when it wasn't in use, just like now.   
  
Entering, he found the stage deserted, as he expected. Well, he had thought so at least, until he suddenly spotted a figure moving further above, towards one of the spawn points. For a moment, he grew anxious, although when the figure hopped down with a heavy thud, he quickly relaxed, a soft smile spreading on his face as he ran up the ramp to greet them.   
  
"Skull! I was wondering where you-" A shot that just barely sailed by his head cut him off, Army tensing for a moment. He was used to Skull playfully firing shots at him, but usually that was reserved for when they were training, when the spawn points in the stage were actually turned on.   
  
"Skull you should really be more careful about- ACK!" He just barely managed to leap to the side to avoid yet another shot, this one aimed directly at his head, only grazing his shoulder because of his reflexes. "Skull! What are you-"   
  
"Shut up."   
  
"W-What...?"   
  
"I said shut up. I can't take the sound of your godawful voice any longer." The sniper stared down at Army from the small perch he sat on, a cold look in his eyes that had the drill sergeant shivering uncomfortably.    
  
Army stood there for a few moments, petrified. What had happened? Why was Skull upset at him? Had he done something? Messed up somehow? He couldn't recall doing anything that might warrant this reaction, just yesterday they had a wonderful date together!    
"Skull if I did something, please, we can talk it over-"   
Before Army could do as much as get another word in, the sniper suddenly snapped his weapon and released another shot, and not a second later the orange inkling knelt with a cry of pain, his leg now a mangled mess of purple and orange.    
  
"I don't know why I ever thought you were interesting. You're so predictable, it's boring." Army could faintly make out the noise of the other hopping down from his perch, although with the pain that throbbed through his leg blinding him, he couldn't move. "S-Skull please-"   
  
"You're so pathetic. You run to me for everything, expecting me to fix your messes. How much longer are you going to hide behind me? I'm getting tired of it. I pitied you at first, but you abused it again and again. You really tricked yourself into thinking that I actually loved you, huh? Proposing to me and everything. It took everything not to throw up then and there." Army raised his head, tears stinging in his eyes from both the pain and the other's words. This couldn't be right. This just wasn't right. "Skull, p-please we can-"   
  
"No. We can nothing. I'm sick and tired of dealing with you. But I know something you can do. One useful thing you can actually do for me." The orange inkling faintly heard a shot being charged, and when he managed to look up, he found himself face to face with the other's E-Liter, Skull wearing the same bored expression he always did when a match was of no interest to him. Without hesitation, he aimed the weapon into Army's face, and only seconds later, he let the trigger go with a low snarl. " _ **DIE.**_ "   
  
Army woke with a cry, his eyes wide and his heart seemingly trying to escape his chest. He could feel the old wound on his leg throbbing faintly, pushing weak waves of pain through his body. Looking around, he found himself in his room in the S4 base, realizing that it all had been a dream. He suddenly felt shifting next to him, tensing a little as he felt the figure next to him sit up. "Whats wrong...?"

Even in the darkness of the room, Army could make out the concerned expression on Skull's face, and even if his dream had wanted him to believe otherwise, he knew that the other really did care about him. "Everything's fine Skull, it was just...a bad dream. Nothing more." 

Before he could move to lay back down, he felt a pair of arms wrapping around him, pulling him against the other inkling's chest. Without really thinking about it, Army instantly relaxed, letting out a sigh as he felt Skull pull him down onto the bed once more. He could feel the other gently mess with his tentacles, and before he knew it, he slowly started to drift back off to sleep, knowing that there was no place safer he could be than in his lover's arms.


	2. A day off (Backwards/Safari)

"Hgn, you need to move." 

The noises were strange enough to catch Cleats' attention when she entered the base. In all honesty, she shouldn't have been here today. There was no practice, but as fate would have it, she had ended up forgetting her phone at the base yesterday. And as she stepped in, she was greeted by not one, but two muffled voices sounding from the bedroom connected to the living room.

"Backwards I dont- I don't think I can hold on much longer..." 

Blinking, Cleats quickly recognized the voices as both Backwards and Safari. They weren't supposed to be here, Backwards had specifically called a break today because he would be busy. So why were they here? And why those noises? Despite her better judgement, Cleats slowly approached the door, carefully pressing her head against it to get a better idea of what was doing on.

"S-Safari don't you dare! I'm not done yet!" 

Backwards definitely sounded pushy, not to mention both of her team mates sounded rather out of breath...   
It didn't take much for Cleats' imagination to take a few leaps, a green blush quickly settling over her face. They weren't- 

"Backwards please! I- I can't-!" 

Quickly stepping away from the door, the green inkling hid her face in her tentacles for a moment before soon dashing out the door of the base again to give her team mates some privacy. Her phone still forgotten on the table in the main room.

-Meanwhile, inside the room-

"Backwards please! I- I can't-!"

Just a few seconds after Safari uttered the words, he lost his footing, sending both of the green inklings tumbling to the floor. Luckily their fall was stopped by the dozens of cushions that filled the room, although it made the fall no less embarrassing. Groaning, the smaller of the two slowly sat up, rubbing his head. 

"God damnit Safari, I was so close! One more pillow and the fort would have been perfect. You really couldn't hold out for two more seconds?" 

"Sorry..."

"I don't think sorry cuts it. Now go, get your butt back there, I wanna finish this."


	3. Blooming anew (Double/Vintage)

Double wasn't quite sure how this happened. He was fairly certain that just a few days ago, he had sworn to never look at their "leader" again. Hell, just thinking about it made an uncomfortable tug make itself known in his lungs. These damn flowers....he had gotten them removed, hadn't he? Why did he still feel them so clearly in his chest? Why couldn't he look at Vintage and just feel nothing like he wanted to? Why was he still longing for the other? Why was he sitting on his bed and holding his hand while he slept?

Actually, he could explain that last one. Omega had asked him to keep watch over Vintage since she had to go run some errands. It wasn't that he particularly wanted to, but Pigtails was still recovering from their fight and Omega was running herself ragged trying to make sure they all didn't completely fall apart. He wasn't sure if she asked him because she had no other idea, or if she did it because she knew more than she let on. But no, he had always been careful about it, she shouldn't know.

His attention was called back to the present when the other inkling shifts, making a soft noise in his sleep before squeezing Double's hand gently. It was hard to believe that this very same inkling had fought them so hard not that long ago. Double could still clearly recall it, the cold look in Vintage's eyes, colder than he had ever seen him. There was nothing there, no quiet appreciation for his team, no hidden pride in himself and the others, nothing. Nothing but hatred and the desire to destroy.

He shuddered, thinking about it. Nothing they had done seemed to have broken through to him, no amount of calling out, no single thing they did seemed to have any effect other than make him attack more relentlessly. From where he was sitting, he could still see the faint stains of the odd goo that had been sticking to Vintage during that time. Someone had explained to them what it was all about, sanitization, or something. Not that Double had really cared, when they dragged Vintage back, he had been slowly but surely choking to death on the orchid petals that were clogging up his lungs. He still remembered breaking off from Omega and Pigtails once they reached the hospital and collapsing in one of the hallways as he vomited a shower of petals that just didn't want to end. Quite frankly, he couldn't remember much past that.

What he did know was that he had gotten those blasted flowers removed, and the feeling of attachment with them. Or so he had thought. In the first few days, it had been so easy to see Vintage with his flaws, to simply see what he did as him brushing them aside and attacking because he didn't actually care. But the more Omega kept talking to him, the more she made him babysit their recovering leader, the more and more those thoughts seemed ridiculous, if not completely unfounded. Vintage hadn't been himself, he had no control over his actions then, and looking at him now, curled tightly into a ball, holding onto his hand like it was his last lifeline...

Double felt a petal slowly trying to make its way up his throat. Giving a small cough in a vain attempt to get rid of it, he quickly swallowed it down when he felt the other move again, this time shifting to curl up closer to Double, the usually cold inkling's expression relaxing slightly as the squeezing hand lightened its grip somewhat.

Sighing softly, Double gently ran the fingers of his free hand over the other's tentacles, expression almost blank as the other leaned into it in his sleep. He really wasn't able to let go of his feelings that easily, was he?

He let out another cough, a stray two-toned petal slowly fluttering to the ground.


	4. Sleepy Times (Mask/Army)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ficlet is dedicated to a very cute friend of mine who made the most adorable Army/Mask art :3

"He never did that before...!" 

 

Army was NOT panicking. Absolutely not, he was perfectly fine. He was certainly NOT freaking out over the fact that Mask had decided to cuddle up to him and use his shoulder as a makeshift pillow. 

 

The drill sergeant helplessly looked over to his other two teammates who didn't seem to be of much help in this situation. Skull didn't seem to care too much, busying himself with a lollipop. Aloha meanwhile seemed to have decided to take advantage of the situation, snickering softly as he snapped a few pictures of the pair. "Aw, Maskie can look so cute when he tries~" 

 

It wasn't that Army wasn't happy about this, he was simply....surprised. Mask wasn't known to be the most affectionate inkling. Hell, he hated getting touched at all most of the time. So to have him cuddle up to him while they were relaxing after a long day of turf wars, it was something else. 

 

After the initial panic started to settle, Army finally calmed down enough to really take in the situation. Mask had just come back from changing out of his turfing clothes, instead of his usual gasmask, he wore a facemask that Army had gotten for him at some point. 

 

He still remembered that day, Mask had complained many times that his face would feel numb after he had fallen asleep with his trusty headgear on. Skull had offered one of his spare bandanas at one point, but Mask had refused on the grounds that he didn't care to take one of Skull's gears. 

 

That day, Army had been looking for a new Beret, seeing as Sailor White had messed up hers during training. When he walked out of Headspace, he hadn't found a new beret for his teammate, but he HAD picked up something that might just help Mask with his problem. 

 

"A face maaaaask...?" The other's surprised expression was still burned into his mind, how his tired eyes had widened slightly behind that gas mask when Army presented him with the headgear. "Yes, I thought it might help. It would certainly be more comfortable to sleep in. It should be fine to switch to it when you're at home, right?" 

 

The cyan inkling had run his fingers over the soft material, seeming to study it carefully before finally speaking up. "I gueeeess...." He looked like he had been lost in thought before those tired purple eyes focused on the drill sergeant once more. "....thaaaaanks." 

 

Army wasn't sure exactly when Mask had begun warming up to him more, but he had started to notice it. The other wasn't as hostile around him, not as withdrawn and snappy. Where he would even argue against Skull, he actually seemed to listen to him, albeit not all the time. 

 

The other cuddling up to him though? It was something entirely else still. Army could understand Mask being more comfortable around him, but this still seemed a little overwhelming. Not that he particularly minded. 

 

"...guess Mask has taken a liking to you." It took the drill sergeant a moment to pull his eyes away from the sleeping inkling to look over to their team leader, Skull having finally finished his lollipop and decided to insert himself into the conversation. Well, at least for a moment, because just as Army looked over, he had already gone to get up, stretching for a moment before shuffling towards the bedrooms. "I'm going to bed, we got another tournament tomorrow." 

 

Aloha wasn't far behind, snapping another picture of Mask in his cuddly mood before practically skipping after their team leader. "Try not to stay up too late Army, even if Maskie is adorable, we'll need you in top condition~" 

 

As the two of them went to bed, Army was left with his thoughts. Well, that was until a soft mumble finally pulled his attention. "Thank goooood they're gone...Aloha's so fucking noisy..." 

 

Army felt the other shifting slightly, although instead of moving away and getting up like he anticipated, Mask simply moved to push him over, making the orange inkling grunt quietly before he felt the other moving to curl up to him, one of Mask's arms moving to wrap around his middle. 

 

"There...this is better..." Before Army could do much to respond, he could feel the other moving to nuzzle up to him, resting his head against his shoulder before letting out a sigh. "You're waaaaarm..." judging from the tired drawl, Mask was just about to fall asleep again, leaving Army no choice but to give in. Shifting slightly, he moved to pull the blanket draped over the backrest down, pulling it over the both of them.

 

He could feel Mask relax next to him, a soft little sound pulling his attention until he finally realized what it was. Surely enough, the cyan inkling was starting to drift back off, and with how comfortable he seemed to be feeling, he had started to purr. Army could feel his face flush slightly as he took in the sound, hesitating before leaning down, giving the other a small nuzzle. He didn't dare ruin this precious moment by saying anything, instead simply moving to wrap an arm around the other before finally closing his own eyes, slowly but surely starting to drift off as well.

 


	5. Blooming anew II (Double/Vintage)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, here it is. Second Chapter of this hanahaki mess. Hey Vicious_Loner, I'ma take those Punk Cherries, thanks ^w^

"You know, it would be easier if you just admitted to him." 

 

Double froze when he suddenly heard the voice behind him, just barely choking back another few petals before they could make their way into the toilet below. Turning his head, he wasn't very surprised to see Omega standing in the doorway, although that didn't mean that he appreciated it. As he went to reply, he got choked up on another petal caught in his throat, turning to vomit a few more into the bowl below, coughing once the worst of it had passed.

 

"This is why you keep running off, isn't it? I had my suspicions, but this just confirms it." 

 

He wanted to argue, he wanted to tell her to go away, he wanted to forget all about this, maybe have the flowers removed a second time-

But he knew that it was pointless, as another batch of petals worked their way up his throat and cut off his air, he knew that he had no chance against this. Unless he left the team, he'd just fall for Vintage all over again a third time. 

 

As he tried to regain his breath, he heard a soft sigh behind him before a gentle hand rested on his back, gently rubbing it in an attempt to soothe. 

 

"I could do without one of you trying to die on me once a week you know." 

 

Double hacked up a few last petals, heaving a couple more times until nothing came up, panting heavily in an attempt to catch his breath. Last time the flowers had grown, it had taken months to get to this point, it had barely been _two weeks_  since he had gotten them removed. Why were they growing back so fast? 

 

There was also the concern of Omega knowing, and apparently knowing _exactly_  who was causing it. This might be an issue. After a few minutes of just trying to catch his breath, he slowly leaned up, turning to look at her. "Listen. I'll-" he trailed off. Exactly what was he going to do about this? Confess to Vintage? Leave the team? Have the flowers removed again in a fruitless endeavor? 

 

"You should talk to him." Omega cut him off before he could gather his thoughts, helping her teammate as Double moved to lean against one of the counters. Hacking up those petals always drained him, and they seemed to grow back faster and faster each time. Giving Omega a look, the spiky haired inkling let out a sigh. "If only it were that easy. You know he's not in the best state. That aside, why in the everloving hell would he settle for someone like me anyway? Hell, I'm pretty convinced he _hates_  my guts." 

 

"You know that he doesn't. Are you still holding what happened against him?" Omega didn't even sound accusatory, but Double felt like he had been put on the spot suddenly. "N-No. I mean- I know he wasn't himself then, I can't. But, even before then, hell, have you _seen_  the way he looks at me sometimes? I'm surprised I'm still on this team." 

 

Double was glad for his shades, at least this way he felt like he had _some_  distance between him and the look Omega just threw him. It was like she was looking right into his head. Of course he had considered admitting to Vintage, especially with how clingy the other had been acting recently, but something was keeping from it, he didn't want Vintage to feel overwhelmed or pressured into anything, and with how vulnerable he was right now, Double just couldn't put this on him right now.

 

"...fine. But I'm not having you die on me Double." With those words, Omega left the bathroom to go check up on their leader, leaving Double with an uncertain feeling. 

 

\---------------------------------------------------------

 

"A grace period?" Vintage looked up from his phone. He still wasn't in the most stable condition, while going outside wasn't quite impossible anymore, their usual ranked battles would still take too much out of him to consider it safe. It was clear that the two toned inkling was less than happy with it, getting more and more restless by the day. And the news Omega was currently relaying to him didn't seem to help either.

 

"Yes. Considering the situation, they've given our team a month grace period, we won't have to participate in matches to keep our ranks." Omega relayed, relaxing on the couch next to her team leader. Across the room, Double had sunken into his trusty beanbag. The thing was bigger than him, almost swallowing his form as he relaxed. Although at the conversation he overheard, he perked up. "So we can relax, eh? Doesn't sound like a bad deal to me." 

 

As quickly as his confidence had come, it left him again when Vintage suddenly turned his attention to him. He wasn't sure why, but in the last couple days, a mere look from the other was usually enough to get the petals slowly crawling up his throat. He quickly shut up, trying to bury his nose back in the magazine he had been reading while trying to choke down the few petals that tried to clog up his throat once more. 

 

Somehow, Vintage hadn't noticed, going back to reading the news on his phone after a moment, but Omega wasn't so oblivious. She knew that Double was running away from his problems, in fact, he had been actively avoiding Vintage these past few days. It was a miracle that he was spending time in the same room as him right now. Although, looking at him, Omega could take a good guess that he would get up at any moment to dash away just like always when Vintage seemed to notice him. 

 

It had taken a toll on Vintage too, she had noticed. He seemed more downtrodden than before, almost apathetic when Double avoided him yet again. She had considered bringing it up with him a few times, but so far, she hadn't found the right moment. But with Vintage's ears twitching up and down each time he seemed to be ignored by the spiky haired inkling, it drove Omega further and further up the wall. And right now, she could see the telltale twitch yet again. While she never minded consoling Vintage when he had another breakdown, having to do it nearly every day ever since he started doing better certainly was a little much. Especially since it was such a preventable issue. 

 

Throwing another glance to Double, she could see the other trying to discreetly choke back more of those damning petals. He liably wouldn't stick around for too long like this. She had to do something, but what? It wasn't like Double was completely avoiding Vintage, she could see him sitting at the other's bed, holding his hand while he slept so Vintage had something to hold onto when another nightmare took him. How could he care so much, yet be so oblivious to what was going on? As her eyes trailed between the two boys, she finally felled a decision. 

 

"Sorry about this Vintage." That was just about all the warning he got before he was suddenly picked up by his right hand, and before he could do so much as question her, he suddenly found himself flung through the air with strength he never realized Omega had. "Hey Double! Think fast!" 

 

Thinking fast wasn't really something Double was capable off at the moment. One moment he was trying to quietly hack up a few petals, and in the next he suddenly felt something crash into him. Or rather, someone. Just a few seconds later, he felt hands digging into his jacket as Vintage clung onto him, his ears raised high as he was obviously startled by suddenly being thrown across the room. Without really thinking, Double quickly wrapped an arm around him, shooting a glare at the girl on the couch. "Omega. What the fuck." 

 

Omega simply stared at the two of them, watching carefully how Vintage tried to tuck himself against Double in an attempt to hide, still spooked from the prior events. Double on the other hand was on high alert, ears folded back as he shot her an almost venomous glare, his arm tightening around their leader as he held onto him protectively. So much for either of them hating the other. Sighing, she grabbed her phone and got up, ignoring the glare that followed her as she crossed the room. "You two have a few things to talk about. Do it, before I have to force you to." 

 

She pinned Double with a stare of her own, her eyes trailing to Vintage just a moment later when the other finally turned to look at her. Only a moment later, she finally turned and left the room, leaving those two to their own devices. 

 

"What was she talking about Double?" The spiky haired inkling almost went ridgid when he heard that soft voice speak up. Right, Vintage pretty much on his lap, fuck. "...nothing. Nothing at all-" he had to stop himself from coughing up another petal. If Vintage looking at him was enough to trigger them to come up, having the other this close was making it flare up even worse. A moment later, he moved to gently shove the other off of him. "I'm sorry I- hurg- ihavetogo-"  holding a hand infront of his mouth, Double dashed out of the room, leaving behind a confused Vintage.

 


	6. Rainy Day In (Backwards/Scuba)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's dedicated to the co-captain of this duck shaped paddleboat of a ship ;)

"A picnic? Chief, have you _s_ _een_  the weather outside?"

Scuba certainly hadn't anticipated the day taking such a nosedive. Really, it should have been perfect. He would have taken his little boyfriend out to the rocky shores for a quiet date. However the weather clearly didn't agree, as not long after Backwards arrived, storm clouds started rolling in before a thunderstorm sent people scurrying for cover. This certainly wasn't the kind of weather one would have a picnic in. Although that hardly seemed to deter the green inkling, as he had already jumped to his feet and wandered off to the kitchen. As Scuba moved to follow him, he threw one more glance at the window, watching as a bolt of lightning illuminated the sky outside.

"Its fiiiiine! We don't have to have it outside. If we move the table and spread out a blanket in the living room you'll hardly know the difference!" Backwards chirped in response, already starting to prepare a snack. It certainly wouldn't have to be anything fancy, he wasn't a picky eater, and Scuba never seemed to mind anything he made. Meanwhile, the pink teamer stood in the door frame, watching the other bustle about with a small smile. "Whatever you say chief. Guess I'll start moving that table."

It didn't take long to set everything up, once they found a blanket they could use, they settled down in the living room, getting comfortable and snacking on the sandwiches Backwards had prepared. Even as the thunder roared outside, between the two of them, it seemed like a lovely summer day. The walls, the furniture, everything seemed to fall away as they could almost see themselves down by the rocky shore, sitting in a comfortable spot as the waves lazily rolled against the shore, bringing with them a gentle breeze that rustled the leaves of the trees not far in the distance.

"Its been a while since we got to be like this, hasn't it?" Scuba broke the comfortable silence between them, taking another bite of his sandwich as he looked at his boyfriend. His team had been pretty busy recently, even with Aloha off fucking around with the S4, he, Straw and Octoglasses weren't quite off the hook in terms of getting challenged constantly. And from what he heard from both Backwards and Aloha whining about Safari, it seemed that Green Team was constantly practicing for one upcoming tournament or another.

"Yeah...I wish we could to this more often. Its nice just to relax with you." The smile Backwards threw at him had Scuba flushing a light pink behind his mask. He still wasn't quite used to it, usually _he_  was the one making people flustered, not the other way around. And yet, this green idiot seemed to do it effortlessly. Scuba still remembered the first time he met him, drunk off his ass and stumbling into a random stage, just to find his little angel looking at the stars.

Backwards certainly hadn't become any less angelic in Scuba's eyes, he still had that same gorgeous smile, those bright, beautiful eyes, and a voice that, while perhaps not made for singing, always put a smile on the pink inkling's face when he heard it.

"Hey, I have an idea. Help me clear this stuff." Backward's eyes almost seemed to light up when Scuba spoke, and he gave a nod before getting up and starting to carry the plates and the rest of the sandwiches back to the kitchen. While the green inkling did this, Scuba rummaged around the living room, eventually spotting what he had been looking for.

And as Backwards returned, he would hear a soft tune playing out of an old radio, filling the room with a quiet melody as Scuba motioned him to get closer. And once he did, he felt the pink inkling pulling him close, and only a moment later, the two of them found themselves in a loose, fun dance. Backwards couldn't stop himself from giggling as he twirled around with the other. Unlike Scuba, who seemed to know just how to move his body, Backwards was more uncoordinated, falling out of rhythm or messing up a step here and there, but neither of them seemed to care. Those two were off in their own little world as the radio played its song.

Scuba seemed to forget himself, suddenly moving to hoist the other up and spin him around in a fit of bubbly laughter, only for both of them to lose balance as the pink inkling's legs hit the couch behind him. Luckily their fall was soft, Scuba tumbling back onto the cushions as Backwards landed ontop of him. After a moment of stunned silence, both Inklings broke out into a giddy laugh.

Once they calmed down, Backwards adjusted himself slightly, moving to lean in and give his boyfriend an eager nuzzle before pressing a kiss to his cheek. Scuba quickly returned it with a few eager pecks of his own before shoving his mask out of the way to press a loving kiss to the green inkling's lips.

"Love ya." He murmured as he pulled back, leaving Backwards flushing a bright green before he hid his face against Scuba's shoulder with a soft mumble. "Love you too..."

The two of them simply stayed like that, Scuba wrapping an arm around his little angel as both of them slowly dozed off.


	7. Comfort (Skull/Army)

Blinking his eyes open, the first thing he became aware of was the feeling of someone messing with his tentacles. It wasn't unpleasant by any stretch, it was simply an odd feeling to wake to for someone who has only relied on himself for so long. 

"Is something wrong my love?" 

The voice made him turn his head slightly, looking up at the figure. He wasn't surprised to meet those sharp, orange eyes, although the gentle, adoring look almost startled him. Sometimes Skull forgot just how soft the drill sergeant could be when they were alone. Letting out a sigh, he shook his head slightly. 

"No, its nothing." 

It earned him a soft hum from the other, Army's fingers still gently running over his untied tentacles, kneading some of the tension out of them as Skull found himself relaxing once more. He had to admit, he liked this, these quiet moments just between the two of them. They hadn't had much time recently. 

"You're probably still tired. You should sleep some more. Its fine, I'll be here." 

The suggestion sounded so tempting, to curl up against the other, hold onto that oh so familiar parka and drift back off to sleep... its the sort of vulnerability Skull hadn't allowed himself ever since Vintage and Omega had broken off and formed their own team. He wasn't sure what about the other urged him to show this side, but he wasn't willing to argue. 

"Maybe..." 

Maybe he should. Its not like he could fight his body as it did just as he imagined a moment ago, curling closer to the orange Inkling as he rested his head in the other's lap properly, letting Army continue to play with his tentacles as he slowly started to drift back off to sleep.


	8. Blooming anew III (Double/Vintage)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the third and final part is finally here. I honestly didn't expect this to turn out so long. Now I gotta ask y'all, should I move this and the other two parts into a separate fic on their own? Or should I leave it here in the collection? Leave a comment and tell me what you think!

"Omega what the hell! Let us out!"

Double pounded on the door, a scowl on his face. What was Omega thinking? Luring him in here saying that she needed help with something just to lock the door once he stepped in. Even worse- 

"Omega. Open the door." 

He was trapped in here with Vintage of all people. Quite frankly, his team leader was the last person he currently wanted to spend time around. Not because he didn't like him or anything, quite the opposite, really. There was just the small issue of the flowers already starting to clog up his throat again, and he wasn't having it.

Just as he was about to pound on the door one more time, he finally heard some footsteps outside. 

"I warned you Double. I'm not letting you two out of there until you talk things out. This has been going on for a good two months now, it has to end. I'll be back in an hour." 

Before either Double or Vintage could say much of anything, the footsteps got quieter, leaving the two Inklings to their own thoughts. 

Well, their own thoughts, and the quiet coughing of Double trying not to choke on the petals that tried to make their way up his throat. Why this? What had he done to deserve this? He had gotten these things removed, and yet, here they were, back with a vengeance it seemed. Even talking to his doctor hadn't helped, the man refused to let Double have another surgery so soon, not with all of the side effects that could occur. 

At the very least Vintage didn't seem too eager to talk either. He had recovered nicely after his sanitization, and since a few days ago, they had even started to take up matches again. Right now however, he sat against the wall next to the door, eyes focused on his teammate as a frown formed on his face. Vintage wasn't stupid, he knew something wasn't right, but he also didn't know how to bring it up. Although....this was what Omega had locked them in here for, hadn't she? They needed to talk, whether they liked it or not.

"...Why are you coughing? Did you catch something somewhere?" 

Double looked up, hand still covering his mouth as he desperately swallowed another batch of petals in an attempt not to let the other catch onto what was happening. If Vintage had any idea what this disease was, it would be over for him. Once he finally managed to catch his breath, he shook his head, scowling slightly. "No, I'm fine. Just not....feeling my best." 

It was clear that Vintage didn't believe it, raising an eyebrow as he eyed his teammate. Double wasn't really one to keep secrets, so it only enticed him even more to dig deeper and figure out what was going on. To be honest, Double had been acting weird ever since Vintage had come back, but he had never really thought to question it, chalking it up to him being jumpy because of what happened. "A bit hard to believe, considering you sound like you're trying to cough up a lung." 

Aw fuck, of course Vintage would have noticed. Double had hoped against all odds that maybe the other hadn't caught onto his issues, but it seemed he had grossly underestimated his team leader. "It's nothing serious-" And just like that, another wave of petals decided to make its way up. Double's hands flew to his mouth, but he wasn't quite fast enough, a few stray orchid petals escaping his lips and fluttering to land on the ground in front of him. 

"Are those...?" Frowning, Vintage shifted to get up, his curiosity sparked at the sight of the petals. However before he could get close enough to get a good look, Double scrambled to step onto the bits of flower in a vain attempt to hide them. It earned him a harsh glare from his team leader. "Double, I already saw it, you can move your foot." 

Despite his threat, the spiky haired Inkling refused to budge, hands still clamped over his mouth as he desperately tried not to choke on the petals slowly filling up his mouth. This must be the worst day of his life, why was everything happening like this? 

"Double. Move." Perhaps it had come out a little colder than he anticipated. He hadn't dipped into that sort of tone ever since he recovered. It seemed to have some effect on the other, although even as Double shivered and seemed to hesitate, he refused to move, foot still firmly planted on the petals that had gotten Vintage so curious. 

Double was panicking, his heart felt like it was going to jump straight out of his chest, his throat was closing up and it certainly wasn't helping with his breathing as the petals still kept coming. He could feel the beginnings of tears prick at the corner of his eyes, and he thanked the gods for his shades, as he wasn't sure if he could keep up his already frail facade without them. He wanted to curse Omega for locking them in here, curse Vintage for making him feel this way, but most of all, he wanted to curse himself for making the same mistake twice, falling for the other all over again and allowing this horrid disease to flare up once more. He wanted to scream and wail and confess what was weighing so heavily on his heart, but it felt like it would shatter what fragile little peace they had finally established after getting Vintage back. Not that he had much of a choice, the petals wouldn't give him that luxury. 

"I told you to move-!" Vintage was getting impatient, usually cool and collected, he found himself stepping forward, actually giving the taller Inkling a small shove to get him to step back, but all it did instead was make the other double over, and a moment later, Vintage found himself almost jumping back when he heard the sounds of gagging and choking, not to mention watching a shower of petals flow out of the other's mouth, fluttering over the floor and coming to rest in a mess of light blue and red. Double heaved a couple more times, less and less petals fluttering down each time until it finally came to a halt with the spiky haired inkling panting like he had just run a gauntlet of ranked matches without any time to rest. 

A heavy silence blanketed the room for a while, Double attempting to catch his breath and fight with the burning pain in his chest, and Vintage silently taking in the scene he had just witnessed. It sounded ridiculous, an Inkling vomiting flowers, but somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he had heard of something like this before, a rare condition, something that took root in the lungs and slowly but surely choked the person to death. But, what was the cause? He should know, and yet, his memory felt foggy, he couldn't quite recall. 

Meanwhile, Double wasn't sure which feeling he should deal with first. The panic that was slowly rising in his chest along with the pain? The embarrassment that pounded in his head like a headache? Maybe the anger he felt at himself for allowing it to get this far. Whatever, his life was as good as over now that this had happened, all he could really do was try to keep a brave face. "That...wasn't the coolest thing of me, huh?" Finally catching his breath, he dared to look up at the other, expecting to find the same cold, calculating expression mustering him, already considering who would be a good replacement as he surely couldn't stay on the team like this. But, to his shock, what he instead found was a surprising amount of concern in the other's eyes. 

"Who care about cool right now? You're _vomiting flowers_." Vintage finally found it in himself to move, taking a few shaky steps forward, stepping around the pile of petals and hesitating for a moment before laying a hand on the other's back. Granted, he wasn't the best when it came to comforting or even caring for others, he hadn't been good at it while still working with Skull and Aviator, and he has only gotten worse at it since. But that didn't mean that he couldn't try, because quite frankly, the idea of losing the other to whatever this was....it was frightening. 

Vintage had dealt with nightmares a lot after he recovered from his sanitization, and a lot of them involved the simple fact that it would have been all too easy for him to simply strike down one of his teammates. For him to be the one that took their life, and not feel a shred of remorse for it while he was in that state. And now, confronted with the possibility of one of his teammates dying once more, he felt a shiver run down his spine and panic rise in his chest. "We're gonna need to get you to a hospital." 

While overwhelmed with the utter concern the other showed for him, Double couldn't help but let out a bitter little chuckle, shaking his head. "Hospital's not gonna help, already been there." He bit his tongue, wanting to elaborate further, but feeling like he had already said too much. Vintage didn't need to know that he was already in relapse, he didn't need to know exactly what this condition was. Vintage _certainly_  didn't need to know that _he_  was the cause of it. 

Vintage was a little taken aback, both by the chuckle, and the fact that apparently even the hospital was of no help with this. What could they do then? Would he just have to watch his teammate die after all? Once again, panic bubbled up in his chest. While he had come to embrace his emotions more openly in the last two months, this was one he could very much do without. "What do you mean it won't help? What's causing this?" 

Double froze, what should he answer with? Vintage wasn't stupid, he couldn't just lie to him. Even if he did, Vintage would probably go talk to Omega about it, and god knows if she would stay quiet about it or not. Just thinking about it made his chest burn even more, making him grit his teeth as he tried to ignore the pain. Why did these damn flowers always have to hurt so much? He hated it. "Its...a long story. I've just got some unresolved stuff, let's leave it at that." 

Scowling, Vintage looked the other over. Unresolved stuff? What the hell was that supposed to mean? He hated how the other seemed to be dancing around the issue, he couldn't take it. "Stop trying to brush me off. Where is this coming from? Explain." Once again, his tone came out colder than he intended, and he almost regretted it when the other flinched. 

"God fuck...its some...weird kind of disease, okay? All I really know is that I got flowers in my lungs, and they'll slowly but surely choke me to death, sooner or later." He bit his lip, he knew that wasn't what Vintage wanted to hear, and judging by the glare he got, he would have no way around it. Letting out a sigh, he hesitated before continuing. "They're....fuck. They're caused by feelings of unrequited love, okay? I have the dumbest fucking crush and its killing me, quite literally." That should get him off his case right? Vintage didn't care for romantic shit, he wouldn't dig much further, right? 

Meanwhile, hearing the explanation made Vintage stop. Unrequited love? Crush...? So Double...was in love? In love with someone that obviously didn't love him back, and it set off the condition. Somehow, Vintage felt his own chest tighten at the very idea. God...he had talked to Omega about his feelings, but to be confronted by them in this situation? He despised it. Maybe he liked Double, maybe he felt like wringing the life out of whoever was doing this to him, however unintentionally, but he couldn't admit it, especially not now. Although....

"...Who is it?" Perhaps he could get the information for later.

The moment those words left the other's lips, Double felt like laying down and waiting for the flowers to finally take him. Why was he asking this? Why had he suddenly developed a curious streak? Wasn't it enough that he was literally dying because of him? Did he also have to torture him like this? Double's ears folded down as he tried to figure out a way to dance around the question, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he felt those blasted petals tickle the back of his throat again, and a moment later, he was doubled over once more, only adding onto the pile already on the ground. 

The reaction made Vintage jump slightly before he hesitantly rubbed the other's back, this is what you did when someone had issues with coughing and what not, right? Once again, he wasn't especially used to this. His experience was limited to the few times he had to comfort Skull, and in those cases, a piece of candy was usually enough. Somehow, he doubted the same would work in this situation. Once again, he wanted to introduce whoever was doing this to Double to the business end of his Ballpoint, but for that, the other would have to actually speak up. 

Meanwhile, Double was heaving, feeling the tears burn in his eyes as more petals forced their way up his throat and out his mouth. The fact that the source of his stress was right next to him and patting his back certainly didn't help. What could he do though? Nothing short of a miracle or facing the bleak truth would save him at this point. It was either confess and hope that by some impossibility, Vintage felt the same, or admit defeat, leave the team and move back to the countryside to his parents. And Double wasn't a quitter. 

Once he finally found a moment to catch his breath, he panted heavily, screwing his eyes shut as he tried not to hiss at the waves of burning pain that always followed an expelling of petals like this. He wished that those flowers had stayed removed, but it seemed that nothing in his life could ever be easy. After a few minutes, he finally leaned back slightly, opening his eyes before turning and looking at the other. How much would it fuck things up if he just told Vintage? Even if the other rejected him, maybe it would finally let those flowers wither and die. If they took him with them, that would be fine, just as long as he didn't have to deal with this pain any longer. 

"...its you." 

"Excuse me?" Vintage was caught off guard. Him? What was that supposed to mean? What did he do? Why was Double looking at him like that? Even with the shades in the way, Vintage could feel the other's eyes boring into him. "What do you mean?"

"...its you. You're the cause. This is happening because I'm an idiot. The biggest fucking idiot, and I just couldn't stop myself from falling for the one Inkling in Inkopolis I have no chance with. Its stupid, isn't it? It could have been anyone, hell, I could have fallen for one of Off the Hook and I would have been less likely to die than like this. Its- I-Its because I love you and-" Double cut himself off with a hiccup, and Vintage noticed to his shock that tears were starting to flow past the other's shades, rolling down his cheeks before hitting the petals below. 

"...Me? I'm...I'm the cause of this?" Vintage was dumbfounded. He would have expected just about anyone, maybe a random fan, maybe one of their opponents during their many tournaments, hell, Pigtails or even _Omega_  would have been less shocking than what Double finally admitted. It left him without words for a bit as he watched the other frantically shove his shades up to wipe at his eyes, although his tears just seemed to keep coming. Crying was practically unheard of on their team, so to see the other like this...it was odd. Vintage felt his chest tighten, and after a moment, he finally gave in and followed an impulse, moving to seek out the other's hand, hesitating before slipping his own into it, giving it a gentle squeeze.

That seemed enough to startle the other slightly, Double found himself looking confusedly at the other before his eyes trailed down to where their hands were interlocked. It wasn't that he was unused to the sensation, at this point, he had held Vintage's hand often enough while the other was drifting off to sleep, it had become a sort of ritual between the two. But in this situation, it stunned the upset Inkling, why was Vintage doing this? Shifting, he looked back up at him. 

Meanwhile, Vintage was glad that he had managed to make the other stop crying, although now he quite frankly wasn't sure how to proceed. He should likely take Omega's advice, but then again, would Double even believe him? There was only one way to find out. "...You're not an idiot. You've been carrying this around for god knows how long, suffering, and I just hid behind my walls and malice and..." he trailed off, unsure how to continue, what could he even say for himself at this point? "...I should have been honest with you. Hell, I should have been honest with myself, first of all. I kept telling myself that its just for self defense, that I don't want to get hurt and yet...look at what it did." 

As Vintage trailed off again, Double slowly began to puzzle together what the other was saying. A small sliver of hope blossomed in his chest, but he was too afraid to count on it. Vintage couldn't really mean...

"...Truth is...I also like you. A lot. Even after everything I did, after my dumb mistake and me lashing out against all of you, even with you dealing with all of this already, you still sat with me, made sure I was alright, ...held my hand at night... I... really don't deserve all of that. Not from you, not from Omega, not from anyone, really. I'm...extremely bad at feelings, I'm not used to expressing them that openly, but, if you'd be willing to give me the chance... I do like you Double. A lot. Actually, I think its fair to say that its a lot more than just liking. I love you Double, I really do." 

Those words knocked the wind out of Double's chest harder than the flowers ever could. Vintage...returned his feelings? Was he dreaming? He had to be dreaming. Oh god he would wake up and have to make another dash for the bathroom just so he didn't have to sweep up petals again. His hand squeezed the other's, and for a moment he wanted to pull away, but after a few moments of simply staring into Vintage's eyes, he decided that even if it was a dream, he would take it. "If- God, if you really mean that, that would make me the happiest Inkling in Inkopolis." 

"Of course I do. I have no need to tell lies." Vintage gave the other's hand a squeeze in return, trying to give him the most reassuring look he could muster. Only a moment later, he found himself tackled onto his back with a yelp, the other Inkling having wrapped his arms around him tightly, giving him a nuzzle. It seemed Double was too overwhelmed with words, simply letting out a giddy laugh as he held onto the other. Even Vintage couldn't quite resist the feeling bubbling up in his chest, an odd mixture of relief, affection and the feeling of tension slowly draining out of his body, it had him chuckling softly along with the other before he finally moved to return one of the nuzzles. 

Finally, Double moved to lean back. For the first time in weeks, his chest didn't burn as intensely, and he felt like he could breathe. It was such a good feeling, and it was only amplified by the fact that not only had he gotten his confession off of his chest, but Vintage actually felt the same. Before he knew it, he leaned down, pressing a kiss to the other's lips before leaning away. "Love you." 

Vintage turned a bright pink at the peck considering it had been unexpected. Despite that though, he simply found himself pulling the other back down, holding onto him and burying his face in his spikes before finally murmuring. "Love you too." 

The two of them simply stayed like that, Double half curling up atop the other as Vintage held onto him. It was how Omega found them about an hour later, both of the boys having fallen asleep as she opened the door to check on them. Smiling, she leaned against the door frame. "That wasn't so hard, now was it." She murmured more to herself than to the two Inklings on the floor. After a moment, she decided to let them get some rest, closing the door once more as she wandered off.


	9. Greed (Skull/Aloha | Skull/Mask | Skull/Army)

_He wasn't being greedy._

He found himself lounging in the S4 base, relaxing on the couch when Aloha decided that since his favorite spot was taken, he quite obviously had to take the next best one, which was squarely in his lap. Not that Skull minded, the pink inkling was light, and when he wrapped an arm around his team mates waist, he got the cutest little chuckle. "Aw, in a cuddly mood today Skully~?" 

He was, but also wasn't. It was something more than that. Not that he'd ever let it on. Instead, he answered the other with resting his head on Aloha's shoulder, letting out a content sigh as the other began to play with his tentacles. It was easy to relax around the party squid, to let everything else fade into the background and just focus on Aloha. 

After they formed the S4, it hadn't taken too long for Skull to start considering the other three his. He was the leader, the strongest, he had to watch out for them, they were his, and his alone. Shifting, he pulled down his bandana, barely registering the surprised noise from the other before he swallowed it in a kiss which Aloha quickly melted into. They stayed like that all afternoon, cuddled up on the couch and exchanging little affections.

_Maybe he was being greedy._

Training was going surprisingly well, all things considered. He could faintly hear Aloha and Army bickering in the distance, but it wasn't anything that required his attention quite yet. What _did_  require his attention however, was the fourth member of their team. Mask sat on the ledge below, tossing burst bombs around to ink turf, but Skull could tell that his heart wasn't quite in it. 

Without giving it another thought, he slid down from his perch, coming to stand next to the other. Although now that he was here, he found himself unsure what to say. He wasn't used to consoling people. Breaking up fights, getting people back in line, defending his territory, yes, but not something as delicate as making someone feel better. It simply wasn't in his nature, he was too blunt for it.

"Whaaaaaat do you want?" Of course, he'd already been noticed, it would have been a miracle if the other hadn't heard the heavy thud of the purple inkling hitting the ledge behind him. Quite frankly, Skull was surprised that he hadn't gotten a burst bomb to the face, it only served to make him worry even more. 

"You're acting off." Once again, perhaps a little too blunt for the situation at hand. Mask simply huffed, turning back to the stage and tossing another burst bomb, his shoulders more slouched than usual. "Fuck oooooff." 

He should have expected as much, and yet...

He couldn't just let it stand like that. Without thinking, he moved closer, coming to stand next to the other. He could feel Mask tense slightly, like the cyan inkling was expecting an attack. Wait, was he _still_ scared of him? After all this time they had worked together on a team? Mask really ought to know better. Then again, Skull guessed he hadn't given the other much of a reason to believe otherwise. 

...Perhaps he should start with that. 

"Mask." Once again, the cyan inkling tensed, although he slowly turned to his leader. Only to be met with Skull tugging his bandana down before reaching out. Before he could do much, his trusty headgear was moved to the side, and a moment later, he felt a pair of surprisingly soft lips on his own as an arm wrapped around his waist. The kiss was quick but gentle, and yet it left the cynical inkling flushed with feelings he couldn't quite place. 

"Hey! What are you two doing down there? C'mon!" 

Aloha's voice from up above finally seemed to snap him to attention, and he turned his head away, quickly adjusting his mask and watching Skull out of the corner of his eye do the same with his bandana before turning into a squid and swimming up the wall he had jumped down previously. Mask was left confused, his heart beating a little too fast as Skull had decided to expand his territory just a little further.

_Okay, he was **definitely** being greedy._

The meeting seemed to stretch on  _forever_. Out of the corner of his eye he had noticed Aloha texting his team and he was fairly certain Mask had nodded off for the third time already. And yet, Army did not stop talking. Its not that he could blame the orange Inkling, they had a huge tournament coming up and with how the drill sergeant usually went about things, he liably wanted to make sure everything was accounted for before it began.

This did not make the lecture they were currently receiving any more pleasurable. Skull found his head resting on his hand as he watched the military inspired Inkling, the way Army held himself, how he moved, how his eyes shone whenever he seemed to come up with a new idea to incorporate into his plan. Quite honestly, while he struggled to listen to him ramble, Skull could find himself staring at Army for hours on end. 

Although...maybe he should cut this short, Mask had just woken up again and he could see Aloha already tapping his feet, those two wouldn't stay put for much longer, he could tell. As much as he could do with another hour of just taking in his team mates mannerisms, he decided instead to speak up.

"Army." 

It seemed to snap the orange inkling to attention instantly, stopping what he was going on about and instead turning to his team leader. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Skull felt a sense of...pride? No, not quite pride, satisfaction perhaps, he couldn't quite place it, at the fact that not only Army, but Mask and Aloha had also snapped to attention. Right, he shouldn't spend his time sinking into thought, he should actually speak up.

"I need to talk to you. Outside." He nodded his head towards the door, and oh, he could almost see the ink drain from Army's face. Why were they all so afraid of him? Was he truly that terrifying? Maybe he should start trying to work on his image a little. Then again, being feared also wasn't half bad, it kept most annoying people off of his back. 

Getting up, he gave Mask and Aloha the go ahead to leave. Both of them looked a little unsure, Aloha looking after Army and then back to him with a curious glint in his eye, but Skull disregarded it. He could deal with that when it came to it. For now, it was time to secure the last of his territory. 

After the other two left, Skull finally followed Army out into the hallway. He found the drill sergeant nervously fiddling with the fluff of his jacket, although the moment he spotted the purple inkling, his hands moved down to his sides, he was standing at attention. Cute, Skull couldn't help but think. Although he could do without the stiff reaction. 

"You can calm down. It's not about anything bad." 

It only seemed to ease the other slightly, some tension draining out of his shoulders, although not all of it. He was always so prim and proper, almost uptight in a way, then again, perhaps that was one of his many charms. There was something almost adorable about how earnestly he approached every task given to him, always with his eyes on the goal, even if he often found himself stumped when things didn't go as he expected them to.

Skull should really stop his habit of analyzing people when he sees them, its part of what got him into a lot of the situations he got himself into. Army was still waiting on what he was going to say, and quite frankly, Skull didn't even plan this far ahead. He had to come up with something, anything, maybe something that could bring the conversation into a favorable direction, god he was horrible at this sort of stuff-

"I have to ask, what happened between you and Mask earlier?" 

Okay, that came out of left field for him. Him and Mask? Oh- Oh! The training, the kiss, right. Army had seen that? Perhaps the ledge hadn't been as out of the way as he thought, or perhaps he and Aloha hadn't been as distracted as he thought. Oh well, he could deal with this-

"And just yesterday, I've noticed you getting rather cozy with Aloha." 

Oh, huh. Army seemed more attentive than he gave him credit for. So he saw both of those, huh? Oh boy, how should he go about explaining this...

"You seem to be getting rather close to both of them."

Oh. _Oh_. Was that a hint of jealousy he just heard in his voice? No way, Army? Jealous? Now here was something he would have never expected. It left Skull reeling for a moment, he was struggling to catch himself before finally regaining his mental balance.

"Does that....upset you?" 

The question was careful, he wouldn't want to chase Army off, quite the opposite, really. He could see the other freeze for a moment, as if caught in the act. He shifted, hand once again returning to mess with the fluff of his jacket. A nervous habit maybe? Skull filed it away for later, he had to focus now. 

"I mean- no- It's just-" he tried to explain, tried to justify himself, anything to explain the way he felt, but it seemed Army couldn't really find the right words. After a moment, Skull finally decided to step in, moving closer, noting the way the drill sergeant tensed for a moment before Skull moved to wrap his arms around him in a loose hold. 

"Shh. We're a team now. You're my team mates now. _Mine_. And I've gotten used to protecting what's mine. Unless of course, you mind?" He loosened his hold for just a moment, as protective as he was over what he deemed to be his territory, Skull wouldn't force it. Last time he had, it had cost him his team and two of his best friends. 

Although, as he watched Army, he saw the careful deliberation before something seemed to settle, and after a moment, the drill sergeant shook his head slightly, a light orange burning on his cheeks. "N-No. I do not mind." 

That was all the confirmation Skull needed, and just a moment later, one of his hands had moved to pull down his bandana, and not a second later he had pressed his lips to Army's, who took a moment to respond before almost melting into the kiss. Skull found himself smiling as he simply held the other close, lavishing little attentions on the drill sergeant, content that his territory was now secure.

_He was one greedy bastard._

And yet, it seemed the rest of the S4 wouldn't have it any other way. After some initial awkwardness, things had settled relatively quickly. Mask, Aloha and Army found themselves cozying up to their team leader whenever they didn't have an important battle coming up, or, in Aloha's case, whenever he physically could. And Skull wouldn't have it any other way. 

The S4 became an almost unbeatable team, with very few to measure up to them. Occasionally a challenger would pose enough of a threat to where Skull actually allowed them a rematch at some point, but usually, nothing could break through them, not with Army's strategies, Aloha's speed, Mask's bombs, and Skull watching over those three from his perch and picking off any threats. 

Occasionally, Skull doubted what he was doing was right. Did those three actually want this? Were they happy all being with him? Questions would bother him, even more so when he occasionally caught the eye of a certain two-toned Inkling while in the square. It was days like these that he often found himself cuddled up on the couch of the base with all three of them, Aloha draped over his lap, Mask sitting on one side, and Army on the other, all of them happy and content with their leader.

It was in these moments that Skull thought that yes, he was greedy, and perhaps, it was a good thing.


	10. Crybaby (Vintage/Skull)

"Skull, we need you over here." 

The purple inkling looked up from the lollipop he had been busying himself with to see Omega motioning for him to come over. The moment he got up and moved closer though, he could already hear soft sobbing sounds, and it didn't take him long to figure out what was going on.

"He's crying again?" Omega simply let out a sigh at the question before nodding. They were in the middle of preparing for a big tournament, their first big tournament actually, and one of their team mates obviously didn't handle it all too well. 

"Yeah, he went to practice with Aviator and apparently he stumbled over his Ballpoint and hurt his leg. We can't get him to calm down." 

Skull couldn't stop the sigh that left him, of course that would happen. Just as things were starting to settle down too. Giving Omega a nod, he wandered off to the room he could hear the noises from, quiet crying and a hushed voice trying to console but clearly failing. He had to give Aviator credit, had it been anyone else Vintage would already have been full on wailing.

Giving a small knock to the door before stepping in, he found Vintage sat on the bed, eyes red and puffy as he tried to calm down but clearly couldn't, with Aviator kneeling and currently bandaging his swollen ankle. The injury didn't seem too severe, especially if Omega and Aviator decided to bring Vintage back to the base rather than the hospital, but knowing the other inkling for as long as he did, Skull knew that he was a crybaby, one who wasn't all that easy to calm down.

"Alright, what's the damage?" 

That certainly got both of their attention. Vintage gave another soft hiccup, trying to wipe away the tears that just wouldn't stop coming. Meanwhile Aviator got up, giving the other a nod. "Nothing too serious, Vinny hurt his ankle while falling, should be fine if he rests for a day or two." 

Skull gave him a nod in return, and without having to say another word, the other inkling seemed to take the hint and excused himself from the room. Once he did, Skull moved to settle down next to Vintage, who had calmed down slightly, but refused to look at the other. 

"That stuff happens, you heard Avi, you'll be fine." 

All it really earned him was a small huff which quickly turned back into a hiccup as Vintage glared down at his feet like they had betrayed him. Skull could see where it was coming from, Vintage was always worried about not being strong enough, about holding them back. Apparently it just wasn't enough that he was the strongest on their team, Skull couldn't make any rhyme or reason of it.

After a moment, he sighed, instead moving to pull Vintage closer to him. The other didn't protest, instead simply leaning against the sniper's shoulder as Skull wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Its okay. By the time the tournaments on you'll be back and we've trained plenty, you don't need to worry, okay?"

Once again, no reply past a soft noise of disagreement. Vintage was so stubborn, although at least he had stopped crying now. Skull just hummed, holding his team mate for a bit before shifting, moving to press a kiss to the top of his tentacles. He could feel the other tense and blush next to him, the sniper breaking out into a grin at the feeling. 

"A kiss always makes it better, right? Now stop sulking. Lay down and I'll go get some sweets."

 


End file.
